Mitral Valve Prolapse and Other Mitral Valve Diseases

At the University of Chicago Medicine, we are at the forefront of heart valve disease care and our physicians work with each patient to create the right treatment for their needs.

Where is the mitral valve located?

The mitral valve is located between the left aria (upper chamber) and left ventricle (lower chamber), and allows blood to pass from the left atrium to the left ventricle. In a normal functioning mitral valve, its two leaflets open to allow blood to flow from the atria to the ventricle and then close tightly after the ventricle fills.

Types of Mitral Valve Disease

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is one of the most common forms of heart valve disease. With mitral valve prolapse, the mitral valve leaflets stretch and loosen, preventing the valve from closing properly. Overtime, mitral valve prolapse can worsen and lead to mitral regurgitation (leaky valve).

Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation, also know as mitral valve insufficiency, occurs when the leaflets, or cusps, of the mitral valve do not close properly, allowing blood to flow backwards through the heart. As a result of this leaky mitral valve, the heart is not effectively pumping oxygenated blood out off the heart and into the rest of the body.

Mitral Valve Stenosis

Mitral stenosis occurs when a build up of plague in the valve and the flaps begin to stiffen and thicken, which eventually fuses the flaps together and forces the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body.

Mitral Valve Causes

Mitral valve disease can either be caused by a defect or abnormality in the mitral valve, or it can result from another disorder or condition, such as:

Rheumatic fever
Heart attack
Endocarditis (infection of the heart valve)
Infection or trauma
Cardiomyopathy (abnormality of the heart muscle)
Congenital heart defects
Radiation therapy
Heart rhythm disorders

Mitral Valve Prolapse Symptoms

If you have mitral valve disease, you could experience mitral regurgitation symptoms

If you are at risk for developing regurgitation, it is important to understand that you may or may not experience symptoms. For those that do have symptoms, they can either come on suddenly or gradually worsen. Consult your physician if you are at risk for mitral valve disease and are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:

Shortness of breath
Chest pain, palpitations
Dizziness or syncope (fainting)
Fatigue
Fever
Swelling of hands, arms, leg and/or feet
Weight gain

Mitral Valve Repair and Replacements

How are mitral regurgitation and mitral stenosis treated?

At UChicago Medicine, we specialize in diagnosing and managing heart valve disease. Depending on the severity of the condition and the patients' medical history, treatment may include medications and lifestyle changes as well as surgical or interventional therapies. Our physicians are highly skilled in performing mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement heart surgery, including robotic heart surgery, and transcatheter mitral valve repair. We have a multidisciplinary team of experts that evaluates each patient to determine which strategy will be the most successful and provide the best quality of life.

What is the MitraClip and how does it work?

The MitraClip is a small, mechanical clasp that is implanted into the heart and is used to join the two mitral valve leaflets together to reduce leakage. This is a minimally invasive mitral valve procedure in which the clip is implanted using a catheter that enters through the femoral vein and is guided to the chest. Patients are typically discharged within 48 hours, and many experience symptom relief from regurgitation immediately.

Am I a candidate for MitraClip valve procedure?

If MitraClip isn’t right for me, what mitral valve treatment options do I have?

As pioneers in heart valve treatment, our experts can often offer surgical solutions that are not available at most hospitals. Physicians at the University of Chicago Medicine specialize in minimally invasive and robotic mitral valve repair — we perform more robotic procedures than any program in the United States. Our cardiac surgeons aim to repair malfunctioning heart valves before opting for mitral valve replacement, but they also can replace faulty or defective heart valves with artificial or biological valves taken from human or animal valve tissue. You and your physician will work together to decide what treatment option will work best.

Heart Valve Resources

Heart Valve Disease

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